Friends, Fairytales and Adult Sleepovers
by ForeverTreasure
Summary: I hated explaining it to people at the best of times, so trying to get my five year old niece to understand was going to be an impossible feat. "It's simple," I said, "we're friends and we sometimes fu...have adult sleepovers."
1. Once Upon a Time

**New story. Don't panic, Fighting Temptation WILL be completed, a chapter will be posted soon.**

**Rated M for the good stuff ;) **

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Chapter One  
Once Upon a Time

_I swayed my hips, allowing my body to move to the beat of the music, ignoring everyone around me._ I was in my own world, I felt as though I was the only one on the dance floor, the lights flashing across my body, the music, the lyrics, the rhythm, my heart pounding in my chest.

The darkness of the club was surrounding me, the heat of the bodies grinding, moving together in a small, enclosed space, radiating lust.

I could feel multiple eyes on me, I could feel the men staring in appreciation, the women glaring daggers. I didn't care about them. I didn't care about any of it.

It was just me.

And him.

...

_It was just her._

She was in the middle of the dance floor, moving her body sensually, effortlessly, like there was nobody else in the room. She was aware of no one. Her eyes were closed as her hands occasionally drifted to run through the sexy mess of perfected imperfect curls before sliding them down her body.

The fitted, short, sequined blue dress highlighted the lines of her curves strikingly. When she turned away from me I pursed my lips against the groan of both frustration and gratitude to whatever Gods there could possibly be out there. Frustration because I could no longer see her face, the beautiful arch of her cheekbones tinted rose, her full pink mouth, slightly parted, the look of pure lust that shone from all her features bar her unopened eyes.

Gratitude because this stunning creature was surely the masterpiece of some higher power. Gratitude to the man, because I was sure it was most definitely a man, who designed such a dress that exposed the entire creamy expanse of her back. Gratitude, as I realised it was surely impossible to be able to wear such an item of clothing, swooping so low it just covered the skin along the length of her hips, whilst wearing something underneath.

It was this thought that drove me to throw back the last of my drink and move myself away from the bar towards this delightful creature.

...

_He thought I had no idea he was looking, he thought I had no idea that he had been staring the whole night from his perch at the bar._

How could I not notice him? I had never seen anything like him in my life. He was beautiful. Otherworldly. His gorgeous bronze locks in a contained disarray that I wanted to run and tug my fingers through. I wanted to grip and hold on tight to the wide, hard, strong shoulders he was hiding under his dark, charcoal grey shirt. His lips had curved perfectly in a half-smile as the girl behind the bar handed him his drink. I could only imagine what they would feel like against my own, caressing my skin, or what would be blazing in his emerald green eyes as they smouldered down at me.

But what got me the most was not his hair, or his eyes, or his lean – yet surely muscular body, nor was it the long fingers that wrapped around the bottle in his hand – it was his perfectly crafted and sculpted jaw. The masculine, sharp, strong line of his jaw, dusted with a little five o'clock shadow.

I wanted to bite it. I wanted him. Just for the night. I wanted a meaningless, wild night of passion.

And so my carefree dancing had turned into a performance, one designed to invite him in. It was primal, almost animalistic, I was a female looking for a mate, I was willing and waiting, all he had to do was pounce.

And pounce he did.

Out the door?

I had turned back, ready to let him know I was aware of him watching, only to find the stool empty.

I frowned.

When suddenly large hands with long fingers wrapped around my hips, tugging me backwards to press against him, the side of his face against mine, his chin pressed to my cheekbone.

I grinned, rocking my hips, grinding my bottom into his groin as his hands moved to my wrists, lifting them up above my head.

I felt his hands glide, slowly, down my sleeved arms, grazing the sides of my breasts and I moved my own to tangle my fingers, finally, in his hair, my head tilting back to rest against his shoulder.

I shivered when I felt his breath wash over me, his nose running a line back and forth from the hollow of my ear along to where my neck met my shoulder. Reluctantly, I let go of his hair, needing something a little…more.

I ran my fingertips along his forearms to cover his hands where they had been wrapped around my waist. Slowly, I guided one up and the other down, closer and closer, lower and lower down my abdomen until his hand tensed and the tip of his little finger was hardly an inch away from where I was aching for him, and he pulled me impossibly tighter to him. The other hand I had pushed higher and higher until he was kneading my breast through my dress.

...

_I was a fool. I had thought I held the power when really, this mesmerizing woman had me wrapped around her little finger._

She thought I was unaware of the fact that she knew I had been watching her and I had played it to my advantage. When the little minx had finally turned back to glance at me at the bar I had made my way through the crowd and slipped behind her, wrapping my hands around her tiny hips and pulling her back to press against my chest.

But now the sexy little thing was grinding back against me, tugging my hands all over her body. When my left hand was mere centimeters away from the heat between her legs and my right moulding against one of her breasts, I couldn't help but surrender to the groan, as I squeezed, kneaded, feeling her nipple harden through her dress.

I needed to get the control back. I needed to let her know I was the one calling the shots, not her.

I let my lips caress the skin of her neck, finally, as I had been waiting to do all night. I waited for the little sigh that escaped her before sharply spinning her around to face me, flush, tight, against my chest.

She gasped in surprise and her eyes snapped open.

I had thought the lust was rolling off her in waves, it had been in the way she had moved, teasing and taunting me, in her body, her hands, her face.

It was nothing compared to the desire in her rich chocolate eyes, they were burning, wanting, needing. They drew me in and I couldn't look away.

I felt my forehead fall to hers, our noses grazing against one another, the hint of a kiss, so close and yet so far, our lips barely brushing together. Not quite meeting in the way they wanted to, just open mouths, breathing harsh ragged, sweet breaths, mingling together.

My hand on the small of her back tugged her tighter, pushing her heat to mine and she gasped again at the sudden movement. I tasted the sweet breath of cherries against my tongue.

I grinned. This woman may have had me surrendering to her needs, her body, she may have managed to draw me in as she had planned but I was the one with the power. She was tiny, my 6'1 frame towering over her, wrapped around her and there was nothing she could do about it.

Yet she didn't want to do anything about it. Her eyes told me everything.

We moved, danced, swayed close together never parting, exchanging the heated breaths between us.

Her hands moved from my hair to my chest, my shoulders, my upper arms, anywhere she could reach, I couldn't keep mine away from the skin of her back, so silky and smooth I couldn't stop.

Her core ground against my hardness as we moved and I finally dragged my hands lower to mould around her pert behind, encouraging the rocking, willing her never to stop.

I don't know how long we were dancing for but my forehead and the skin of her back were beginning to dampen with perspiration. All night we moved together, grinding, rubbing, stroking, our mouths, open and brushing against one another though never meeting in a kiss. Teasing.

But I needed more. I needed her. I needed to get her somewhere private. Now.

"Let's get out of here." I breathed.

...

_"I thought you'd never ask."_

I grabbed his hand and we somehow found ourselves in a taxi and I blurted out my address to the driver.

I needed to feel him. I didn't care we were in the back of a car, I didn't care that the driver would probably catch an eyeful, and he didn't seem to care either.

He slid his body up close next to mine, sharing my seat behind the driver, as one arm slid around behind my back, pulling me closer to him, the other trailing up my thigh as his lips finally attacked my neck.

I gasped as the soft, wet kisses abruptly halted and his fingers met my heat. He lifted his head to look me in the eye. I simply smirked with a knowing smile before a slow crooked grin spread across his face and a wicked gleam appeared in his green eyes. He pressed small sweet kisses up along my jaw before his lips reached my ear.

"No panties?" He whispered.

I bit my lip to keep from making any noise for fear the driver would hear me.

"Dirty girl." He murmured, his teeth tauntingly grazing my ear lobe.

I grabbed at his thigh, squinting my eyes shut as his fingers began to stroke my highly aroused and throbbing centre.

"Please," I whispered as his fingertips ever so softly grazed my lips.

"Please what?" He whispered back between kisses to my neck.

I frowned, frustrated that he was touching me enough to tease but not to bring the satisfying friction I needed. I refused to beg and that was something he was about to learn.

With the hand that had clutched at his thigh I brushed the back of my fingers against the prominent hardness beneath his jeans. I bit my lip, realising just how big he was but refused to show my joyous surprise, instead giving him an innocent smile as his eyes fluttered shut and his jaw snapped together.

I twisted so my front was pressed to his side, resting my head against the back of the seat, watching his face closely as the hand between my legs faltered. Not so cocky now. I trailed my fingertips up and down, scratching my nails lightly over the material.

"Mmf." The noise of appreciation was low and quiet and so goddamn sexy. He arched his hips ever so slightly as his hand cupped around the inside of my thigh, squeezing in encouragement. "Please."

Gotcha.

"Please what?" I taunted.

A smirk touched his lips before I could take it no more and pressed my mouth to his.

He was startled, clearly not expecting it, but responded quickly, moving his hands to cradle my face as I tugged his shirt, pulling him to me.

His tongue flickered against mine and my core throbbed in hope of what was to come.

"Ever had an orgasm in a cab before?" He whispered into my mouth.

My eyes shot open wide in surprise to meet with his as I shook my head, keeping my lips fused to the mouth that was doing delicious things to my tongue.

"Can you be quiet?"

Again I shook my head, running my hands up over his chest and through his hair, tugging and scratching through the silky soft strands at the nape of his neck.

"Well," he breathed between passion filled, longing kisses, "now would be the perfect time to practice."

The he pulled away from me completely, moving to sit back in his own seat.

I stared, gaping as he struck up a conversation with the driver.

"Sorry about that," he said.

Then his hand, which I hadn't noticed crawling across the seat towards me, was suddenly between my legs and rubbing friction-filled satisfying strokes against the little nub that had been screaming for attention all night.

I gripped his wrist, my nails pinching into his skin as I tried not to make a sound.

"No worries," the driver chuckled. "Get it quite a lot doing the late shifts on a Friday night."

"I'm sure." He responded casually, as though he didn't currently have his hand trapped between my thighs, his fingers doing unspeakable but oh so pleasurable things to my aching core.

"You and your girl had a good night?"

"Oh she's not my girl, we only just met."

The driver chortled again.

I bit, hard, into my fisted finger and stared pointedly out the window, unsuccessfully trying to keep my ragged breathing even.

"Get that quite a lot, too."

"Friday nights your busiest?" He asked.

I whimpered when his finger dipped teasingly into my entrance before coming up to circle around my clit. He coughed to cover up the sound, glancing at me with a smirk.

"Varies from Friday nights to Saturdays but yeah, mostly. Lot o' people wanting to be drinkin', don't wanna drive."

"I hear you." He nodded, watching me carefully when I squinted my eyes shut and my body jerked a little as he hit a spot.

My grip on his wrist tightened as he rubbed continuously right where it felt oh, so, so good. God I needed to let go, I needed to let it out. Please, oh god, close.

My toes curled, my whole body tensed, my hands clenched and I threw a desperate look at him, both willing him to stop before I humiliated myself and warning him he was a dead man if he did.

He got the message as he quickly slid himself across the seats again and crushed his mouth to mine.

The coil wound so tight, so close, released and my cry of bliss was moaned into his mouth.

White lights-toes curled-back arched-bliss.

His wet fingers smoothed soothing circles into my trembling thigh as I came down from my high, my heart thumping in my chest as I tried to get my breathing back under control.

Oh he was clever. My cry of ecstasy could easily have been interpreted as a cry of surprise as he caught my lips in his.

And now he had a smug crooked smile on his face as he pulled back, offering small lingering kisses to my mouth.

"Sorry," he murmured, "couldn't resist. Your lips were calling to me." He winked as he had me gasping again, caressing his fingers against the lips between my legs.

The driver chuckled knowingly.

I couldn't contain the smile, shared, and reciprocated, with the sexy man beside me at the taxi driver's ignorance.

He pressed a kiss to my temple, hiding his sniggers in my hair.

"This is your stop, that'll be-"

...

_The driver was cut off as a twenty was chucked at him with a hasty, "Keep the change", and I tugged her out of the cab and into the building._

Lucky for us the elevator was on the ground floor and the doors opened immediately.

"Fourth floor." She said.

I pulled her in front of me with my hand, tapping frantically at the button, before pushing her back against the far wall of the elevator.

She grinned a sexy little smirk, her dark, lust filled eyes glinting as she pulled me towards her by the waistband of my jeans.

"Eager are we?" I muttered huskily against her lips before it turned into a groan. Her hand had slid down to cup my erection through my pants, stroking and fondling.

"I believe you have some catching up to do." Was her reply. She unzipped my fly and I watched as her hand encountered my bare cock, her eyes widening in surprise. "No boxers?" She whispered, nibbling on my jaw, pressing kisses to my neck, making me moan. "Naughty boy."

Her soft little hand felt so good as she rubbed and stroked, pumping me deliciously, bringing me right to the edge, fast.

Watching her come in the taxi like she had, pleading me with her gorgeous, conflicted eyes not to stop, to keep her quiet, her body tense, arching as she let go, whimpering into my mouth. I had been aroused before but that'd had me straining desperately against my jeans, rock solid.

I needed her stop or I was gonna blow it right now, and I didn't want to lose it here, in the elevator, before we even got through the front door. We had a long night ahead of us, and I wasn't gonna last much longer if she kept playing with my cock like she was.

I wrapped my hands around her slender wrists and lifted them above her head before I kissed my way down her body until my head was level with the sweet treasure between her thighs.

I slid my hands up her silky, creamy legs, lifting the dress a little as I went. I throbbed, aching, excited for what I knew I would find.

She whimpered as the cold air and my warm breath rushed over her bare lips. I smiled up at her moving my mouth closer and closer until I licked a swipe over her.

"Oh god," she gasped, her eyes locked on me and my mouth between her legs.

I gently spread them apart before parting her lips with my tongue, lapping at her wet entrance and working my way up to the little bud. I flickered the tip of my tongue back and forth, round in circles until she was grinding against me.

I moved lower again, thrusting in and out, getting as much of her delicious taste as I could, giving her a preview.

She keened, gripping my hair tightly in her hands, throwing her own head back as she went wild, pushing my head impossibly closer to where she needed me the most.

I moved to suck on her clit and she cried out, tensing her entire body as she had done in the taxi.

"Oh my god." She groaned, "Your mouth…tongue…oh god."

I chuckled, tugging the hem of her dress down before standing and pressing our mouths together, she allowed entrance and I massaged my tongue against hers, letting her get a taste of her own sweetness. Perfection. "You're welcome."

The doors pinged open right as she launched herself into my arms, her arms around my neck, hands scratching pleasurably through my hair, her long legs wrapped around my waist, her dress hitching up. I groaned into her mouth, I could feel her though my jeans.

"You're so wet, beautiful."

"It's all you," she murmured. "I don't know what you're doing to me, but after every touch I just need more."

I carried her down the hall, "Apartment 4B," she had muttered, and pressed her up against her front door, reluctantly pulling my mouth from hers long enough for her to gasp, "Key. On top of the door frame."

I raised one arm, pressing her securely against the door so she wouldn't fall and grasped the key in my fingers, twisting it into the lock and turning.

Once we were through the door I moved us further inside the apartment and dropped her onto the couch.

She grinned up at me, "Shirt, off."

I smirked, unbuttoning the shirt as she tugged at the waistband of my jeans, rubbing her palm against me as she did. I groaned, abandoning the buttons and pulling the shirt over my head. She paused, her eyes roaming my shoulders, chest, moving further down, inspecting my abs, my jeans hanging low on my hips only more taunting thanks the absence of briefs.

She whimpered quietly.

She liked what she saw.

And I liked what I saw but she was overdressed.

I knelt before her in front of the couch, between her parted legs, and ran my hands from her ankles – leaving the sexy heels – up and up until I reached the hem of her dress, never parting my hands from her smooth skin as I slid the dress up, over her hips revealing that perfect little pussy. I pressed a small kiss there, once, before continuing with the removal of her dress, now leaving open-mouthed kisses to every bit of skin exposed to me until she was writhing as she leant against the back of the couch, arching, pushing her nipple into my mouth as I sucked and nipped and kissed.

She was a sight to behold, one hand tangled in her hair, the other in mine, eyes closed, mouth parted letting out little gasps and whimpers. Her head, shoulders and behind were the only parts of her body in contact with the couch, the rest was writhing up, seeking the pleasure only I could offer her.

My lips were still worshipping those perfect tits, small, but fucking perfect. Her toned tummy pressed against my chest, her ass was wiggling right on the edge of the couch, my body the only thing holding her in place, her legs parted wide and her wet little pussy had me groaning as she unconsciously writhed and rubbed it against my abs for friction.

I reluctantly pulled my mouth from her breast to push the dress over her head, kissing along her collarbone and up her neck until I reached her mouth. She brought her other arm down to run her fingers through my hair, her core now grinding against the bulge in my jeans.

"Off, off." She mumbled between kisses, "Get them off." She pushed at the waistband with her hands and I helped shuffle them down and kicked them off with my feet.

"Oh," she breathed when we finally met together with nothing in the way.

My eyes fluttered shut against my will as her wet heat pressed against my aching hardness for the first time. I crushed my mouth to hers, moulding our tongues together, desperately, fighting for dominance when really I had lost it all. As had she. We were both now out of control and desperate, so close to what we had been teasing each other with all night.

I murmured huskily into her mouth, "I need you."

...

_"I need you," I murmured the same time he did._

He was running the beautiful length of his cock against my pussy, nudging my clit with the head now and then, making me gasp in pleasure.

"Table." I hissed breathlessly, gesturing to the small table beside the couch.

Never removing his forehead from my own, nor parting out locked gaze, he reached over the side of the couch. I heard the draw slide open and rejoiced when I saw the little square packet in his hand, thankful I had not run out.

I took it from him, wanting to do this myself. I pulled the condom from the foil. He watched me as I pinched the tip and pressed it to him, rolling it sensually down his hot, hard, beautiful cock.

He let out a husky moan as I gently fondled before guiding him to my entrance.

He thrust in with a grunt and I cried out, enjoying the feeling of having him fill me as I had needed him to all night.

He looked down, watching as he pulled nearly all the way out and slowly rocked back into me.

He set the pace, slow and steady, long, hard strokes, filling me completely.

I gasped when he hit that spot inside me that made my toes curl.

He grinned, swivelling his hips, grinding against both my clit and g-spot, before pulling back out and jabbing quick, shallow strokes. He seemed to have recovered from his desperate need now that he was inside me and was once again teasing me.

But I'd had enough of the teasing.

I pushed his shoulders until he fell to the floor on his back, keeping hold of my hips and bringing me with him so I straddled him.

I placed my hands either side of his head and started to rock, taking my pleasure, how _I_ needed. Yet it was his moans and groans that spurred me on. The sounds he made, his grunts of pleasure, that look on his face, the one that could have been mistaken for pain had I not known just how good he was feeling.

His heavy lidded eyes gazed up at me, moving between my face and my boobs as they rocked in front of his face. His lips were parted as he panted ragged breaths, his jaw snapping shut and hissing through his teeth whenever anything spiked his arousal and pleasure.

His hands, gripping tightly at my hips, encouraged my movements, helping me, giving me leverage and guiding me over his cock.

...

_I helped guide her over my cock, my hands tightening their hold on her hips as her already tight pussy clenched around me._

God, I needed to pound into her. I needed to fuck her hard and fast and I couldn't do it from this position. Don't get me wrong, I loved being able to play with her tits as she fucked me, but I wanted to fuck _her_.

Carefully, I rolled us over so she was beneath me.

"Bedroom?" She asked, staring up at me with those big, lust-filled, brown eyes.

I nodded eagerly, lifting her into my arms, careful not to slip out of her.

"First door on the right." She said, kissing along my neck and whimpering as I began to walk, the movement doing sensational things to where we were joined together.

I laid us down on the bed and she somehow managed to swivel herself around, so she was lying on her front her legs spread and bent at the knee either side of her body, her torso pressed flat to the bed. All the while we were still joined together and the sensation on my cock was sublime.

"So flexible," I muttered, sitting up. I pulled out of her before plunging back into her wet heat and grunted as I slid deeper inside of her than before. She cried out, grinding her hips and I realised she was rubbing her clit into the mattress.

I leant on one hand beside her while the other caressed up and down her back, her bottom, enjoying the smooth skin as I slammed in and out of her, revelling in her moans and cries of ecstasy.

I pulled a sharp yelp from her lips and grinned, hitting it again and again.

"There," she whimpered.

"Right there?" I asked, punctuating my words, rasped and strained, with another hit to the spot inside of her that was making her scream.

"Yes, y-yes." She hissed. "Harder, please."

"Begging now, are we?" God, beg harder, I thought, now desperate to come.

"Yes, just…please." She whimpered, wriggling and writhing her hips again. I stilled them with my hands and she whined in frustration.

She was going to come, I would make sure of that, but I, and I alone would be the one to make her scream.

I slid one hand beneath her, lifting her hips a little as I leant over her, her back to my chest, slick and sliding with the heat and perspiration between us.

I kissed her neck as moved the hand slowly caressing her toned tummy lower, letting my fingers play between her folds.

She whimpered as I breathed into her ear, "Might want to hold on, sweetheart."

And then I was pounding hard and fast, in and out, grinding, thrusting, gyrating, doing anything and everything as we raced towards the end.

My cock was throbbing inside of her as her sweet pussy fluttered and clenched, careening fast towards climax. I could hear it in her voice, feel it in her body as she tensed, tightening, toes curling, back arching.

"Edward!" She screamed my name as she let go.

I couldn't help my grin, rejoicing in my victory, seconds before I came, burying my face in her neck and grunting my pent up release in her ear.

I gasped, panting heavily as I slowly kissed down her back before falling to the side lying on my back beside her.

"That's twenty bucks to me." I panted. "Told you I'd get you to fall out of character before I did."

"How did you know?" She whined, breathlessly, and I felt her moving around next to me to lie on her back.

"Because whenever I get you to come with me inside you, you always shout my name." Yeah I may have been a little cocky about that, but it didn't mean it wasn't true. I knew Bella better than she knew herself.

"Whatever," she grumbled.

I chuckled, turning onto my side, propping my head on my hand.

"We should role play more often," she sighed, "because that…that was…"

...

I looked over to see my best friend and fuck buddy lying on his side, his head propped up on his hand, grinning down at me.

...

I looked over to see my best friend and fuck buddy lying on her back, fanning her face with a satisfied smile. She caught my eyes.

...

"That was hot." We agreed in unison.

* * *

**So, loving it? Hating it? Whatever the case, bear with me, I'm pretty excited about this one.**

**Stuff can be found on my blogger as usual - the link is on my profile.**

**Review. **


	2. The Introduction

Chapter Two  
The Introduction

**BPOV  
**"Edward," I mumbled, sitting beside him on the bed, sipping a mug of coffee.

He was still fast asleep. He was a pretty boy when he slept. All manly, masculine and growling and dominant when he was awake, unconscious he was a sleeping beauty. And dead to the world.

"Edward," I said again, nudging his shoulder.

Still he slept on.

I sighed, placing the coffee on the nightstand before standing, stepping up onto the bed, my feet planted on either side of him. And then I started to jump.

"Wake. Up. You Good for nothing. Layabout. Some. People. Have to. Go to. Work. Today!"

He grumbled, groaning, burying his head under the pillow. "Stop." He whinged.

I grabbed the pillow from his hands and hit him with it. "Stop smothering yourself in my linen and get your ass out of my bed."

"I don't wanna," he whined, turning so he was lying on his back facing me.

"Well you have to."

"Why?"

"Because I gotta go to work."

"That don't mean I have to."

"No, but if I leave you in my bed, I'll come back this afternoon and you'll _still_ be in my bed."

He frowned, "Don't be a jerk. It's Saturday, let me sleep."

I arched an eyebrow, "Me be a jerk?" I sat down next to him and hit him once, again, over the head with the pillow. "You're the jerk you jerk!"

"Am not."

"Are too," I grumbled. "If I recall correctly, _you_ were the jerk who insisted on giving me an orgasm in the back of a cab last night."

He smirked that crooked cocky grin though his eyes were still closed, his voice husky with sleep, "And if I recall correctly, _you_ rather enjoyed it."

"He could have seen." I groused, crossing my arms.

"I would have never let him see."

"Well he definitely could have heard me."

"I took care of that, too."

I huffed. "You're a pain in my ass, Cullen."

He scoffed incredulously, "If I'm the jerk you're definitely the pain. It's…" he leaned up on his elbows looking around before returning his eyes back to me, "seven a.m. on a Saturday morning and you're jumping up and down on top of my ass. That makes you the pain in it!"

I smiled sweetly, "But I brought you coffee." I reached over and handed him the mug I had set on the nightstand.

He glared but I knew he couldn't resist. He had been awake ten minutes and he needed his caffeine fix within the next five minutes or he was gonna be a grumpy ass all day.

He took a sip, muttering, "I hate you."

I stuck my tongue out at him in response before getting off the bed and moving to my closet, looking for something to wear today.

"Why are you going to work on a Saturday, anyway?" He wondered, scratching his bed head with a yawn.

"Jane wants my article in today, said she wants to read it before she approves." I murmured, deciding on my jersey black pencil skirt and blazer with my ruffled polka-dot blouse. Not a normal days wear but when meeting with the boss I tried to dress nice.

"Your boss is a witch."

I laughed, he wasn't wrong. "Why?"

"Because she makes you wake me up at seven a.m. on a Saturday."

"Would you please change the record?" I asked, stripping off my underwear and pulling on a fresh pair of panties.

Edward eyed me with a grin and I rolled my eyes.

"You ain't gettin' any this morning." I told him.

He sighed sadly, "I know. You get me up at the crack of dawn and then leave me with a hard on you refuse to help me out with. What kinda friend are you?"

I laughed, "Your best friend."

"Sometimes I wonder why."

"Get over it. Besides, you're always up early anyway, what's your problem?" I knew for a fact he was always up early for a run to start the day. I often joined him…if it wasn't raining. Which it usually was. Today, however, the sun was shining through the window. Lucky, too, or else Alice would have thrown a fit - but she was usually right in her predictions about the weather and such so I shouldn't have been surprised.

"Yeah, but not after a night out." Edward complained.

"Lightweight." I muttered playfully.

"Who are you calling a lightweight? I had one drink."

"Exactly."

Edward huffed before muttering into his mug, "You're mean at seven a.m. on a Saturday."

"Oh my god." I murmured under my breath as I slipped on my heels before grabbing my purse and searching it for my keys.

"You'll be at Alice's tonight, right?" He asked as he watched me tap a quick text to my colleague.

"And have her try to set me up with another one of her work buddies as punishment if I don't turn up? Are you insane? Of course, I'll be there."

The corners of Edward's eyes crinkled as he grinned widely, "Poor Eric thought he was in for a treat."

I glared at his reflection as I applied some mascara at my dressing table, "I can't believe I told you that. I knew you'd never let me live it down."

"Who knew anybody that shy could be so kinky?" He sniggered.

"Shut your face," I grumbled, dabbing some gloss to my lips. "You know how traumatised I was."

Edward fell backwards, laughing.

"And I wouldn't exactly call him shy." I turned to face him, my hands on my hips. "He whipped his dick out in the middle of a restaurant."

"Hey," Edward chastised, leaning back up on his elbows, "you're a bit of an exhibitionist, now, too. Don't be a hypocrite."

"I'd say there's a bit of a difference between having someone's hand up your dress , discreetly I might add, in the back of taxi and stripping in the middle of a restaurant in broad daylight."

"So you admit he wouldn't have seen anything?" Edward raised his eyebrows in an I-told-you-so gesture and I flipped him off. "So grumpy this morning." He chuckled.

"That's the last time I wake you up with a cup of coffee. Next time you can make your own."

"Oh, don't be like that, I just say these things to mould you into a better person."

"A better person?" I spun round on the stool of my dressing table to face him completely, intrigued how _this_ conversation was going to turn out.

"Mmhmm." He affirmed with a smile. "This is why you carefully selected me to be your best friend, because my mere presence does wonders for your likelihood of getting into heaven."

"Huh," I pondered mockingly.

"What?" Edward asked.

"Well, _I'm_ the writer and yet it appears _you_ are the one full of bullshit."

"Don't hate the player, baby." He spread his arms wide, gesturing to himself with a look that clearly said "how could you fault this?". Truth was I couldn't, he was gorgeous first thing in the morning, all bleary eyed, bed headed and naked under the sheets.

"What are you even talking about?"

"I don't know, Bella." He sighed heavily before his voice rose with each word until he was shouting, "I don't have a clue what I'm talking about because it's seven a.m. on a Saturday morning!"

I rolled my eyes, "Coffee not working it's magic this morning, I take it?"

Edward shook his head, "Nope, you made it wrong." But he took another sip. He was a liar, he loved my coffee.

"I never make it wrong. And you could show a little more gratitude, I don't even drink coffee and yet I still buy it because you're here all the freaking time."

"You're apartment is better than mine."

"And why is that?" I humoured him, turning back around to fix my hair.

He thought for a moment then grinned widely before pouting his lips, arching his eyebrows and looking up at me in the mirror from beneath his lashes. When he spoke his voice was smooth as silk, "Because you're here, Bella."

I twisted a little so he could gage the full effect as I shoved my fingers down my throat and pretended to gag.

He laughed loudly.

"I was nice to you," I muttered, "I brought you coffee because I know you can't function this early in the morning without it, and yet you insist on shoving sappy crap down my throat at _seven a.m. on a Saturday morning_!"

"Alright, alright, no need to shout." He leaned over to place the mug on the nightstand, "Oh, and it's seven _thirty_ a.m. on a Saturday morning so you might wanna get moving."

"Crap," I jumped up from the dressing table, resigning to the whole half up half down do thing and grabbed my bag, throwing in my phone so I wouldn't lose it. "Okay. I'm off. See you at Alice's."

I wasn't two steps out my bedroom door before Edward called out. "Forgetting something?"

I frowned, turning to see him holding my article above his head. I ran back to grab it, kissing him on the head as I did. "And this is why you're my best friend."

He chuckled, watching me run back out the room.

"Knock 'em dead." He called.

"Always do."

"And tell that girl Jasmine to stop calling me!" He shouted after me as I reached the front door.

I scoffed, yeah, like I could stop the rain from falling and the sun from rising. "It's Jesscia." I corrected.

"Same difference." I heard him grumble.

With a laugh, I shut the door behind me.

***FFAS***

Jane Volturi was a very childlike looking woman. She was smaller than me, which was saying something because I was a short 5'2, and though I liked to say the best things come in small packages, my boss refuted the little saying terrifically.

She was most definitely not a sweet little treat.

At the age of thirty she was a cold, emotionless woman who, I was almost certain, had the ability to cause actual physical pain if you shared eye contact with her for too long. She was critical and strict, it took a lot to impress her and if you stepped out of line she would be there to make sure the door hit you in the ass on your way out. But Jane was never angry. She had too high an influence and control to ever need to be angry – her dismissive disappointment was enough. But she was the Chief Editor of the most popular and bestselling magazine in the country – Twilight. She had accomplished a lot to be where she was today, sat behind that desk, glaring at my article. She had connections I could only dream of which the main reason why I was still here working for her – beside the decent money and how good it would look on my résumé.

I was confident in my place of work, I knew I was good at what I did, but that didn't stop my palms from sweating whenever I was called into her office.

I swallowed nervously as she pursed her lips whilst reading. It was silent aside from her annoying Newton's cradle she insisted on having ticking away whenever she was reading. She said it made her think, claimed it was the source of her achievements. I said it was the source of the self-inflicted stabbing of pencils into my eyeballs. Edward had said he'd pay to see that. I'd said it would have been a waste of money on his part as he wouldn't be able to see because I would have done the same to him if he hadn't stopped talking.

Funnily enough I didn't win that one, of many banter filled arguments. He had proceeded to tell me he didn't need to talk to tease me and then went on to tease me in an altogether more pleasurable way.

Weirdly, I found it a lot more fun to have sex with my best friend than what it was to have sex with anyone else. Neither of us were insecure around each other…okay, I wasn't insecure around him, because let's face it, what in God's name did that man have to be insecure about? But whatever, the lack of insecurity, on my part, made everything much better. We were best friends, we were more comfortable around each other than we were around anyone else, we knew everything about each other so we both felt a lot freer and felt no shame in talking about what we wanted in bed.

Don't get me wrong the first time was incredibly awkward. It wasn't discussed or planned, we'd both just been really drunk and really horny and one thing led to another. We woke up the next morning with horrific hangovers and the blinding fear that we were about to lose our best friend.

But after a much needed coffee – on his part – and a much needed doughnut – my own hangover cure – it was established that, thankfully, neither of us felt _that way_ towards one another and it was just a huge, drunken mistake. One we'd learn to look back on and laugh.

Except there was no laughing, and we had both secretly wanted to do it again.

I sighed internally. It was a shame neither of us were interested in pursuing a more serious relationship with one another, because I'd die a happy woman if I could have sex with Edward every day for the rest of my life.

The sound of a throat clearing had me snapping my eyes away from the Newton's cradle and looking up at my boss, who was staring at me with an expressionless face.

Shit. Expressionless wasn't good.

Though Jane was highly critical, and sometimes cruel, I had never been on the receiving end of her disappointment. I knew I had always been, if not somebody she liked – because, well, Jane Volturi didn't like anybody – somebody she could always consider reliable.

I didn't know what she looked like before she unleashed her wrath, and by wrath I mean sincere look of heavy dissatisfaction, so I had no idea what to expect from the blank face.

"Isabella," her voice was soft and quiet. Jane Volturi didn't need to shout, she didn't need to raise her voice above a whisper, she had everybody on their knees, kissing her feet and waiting for command at the slightest sniff. "Despite the fact you may be young and naïve, barely out of education-" This did not sound good. This did not. Sound. Good. I was going to have a heart attack. I was young and naïve, only twenty-three, I was too young to have a heart attack! She continued, clueless to the war raging in my head. I felt sick, I was going to be sick, or did I need to pee? It was really hot in here. But I could feel the AC, and the fan was whirring above me. Maybe I was cold. Shit, I didn't know! "-it is safe to say you are the least dim-witted of all those who that work for me." Fuck, what was she saying? I couldn't hear. That stupid cradle was too loud, it was…it was…wait…what? "You are an asset, not only to me and this company, but also to our readers."

_What?!_

Okay. Calm down. Breathe. This…this sounded good. This sounded really, really good. Jane Volturi just called me an _asset_. Ha!

Okay, Swan, just don't blow it by screaming out loud in hysterical excitement.

"Th-thank you, Jane." My voice sounded strangled, but I hadn't screamed, so pat on the back.

She responded with an emotionless stare. I blinked.

"Your work is always reliable." There was that word, reliable. But hey, she had just called me an asset, coming from Jane that was like dubbing me the Queen of England, I could deal with the "reliable".

Hell, before she called me an asset, reliable was the highest of praises I was sure she had ever offered anyone.

"Keep it that way, and I have no doubt, you will go far."

Oh yeah, oh yeah, oh yeah, yeah, yeah!

She moved my article, from where it rested in the centre of her desk, off to the side. Then she swivelled her chair a little so she was no longer facing outright but focussed on her computer.

I knew it was a dismissal.

I stood to leave but when I reached the door she said, "Isabella."

I turned to face her, "Yes, Jane?" Her eyes were on her computer.

"I'm looking for a new assistant." Holy fucking shit. She looked at me over her glasses perched on the end of her nose. "Bear that in mind." And then she turned back, clicking away at the mouse.

I calmly closed the door behind me and made my way down the hall. I was quiet and composed as I took the stairs down one level to my cubicle to find my phone. I gave a warm smile to Rosalie's questioning gaze as I passed her cubicle, knowing she would follow me into the bathroom. I made sure Angela was the only one in there, washing her hands, before locking the door. I turned to face them both, calm and collected.

"YES!" I shouted, squealing like a little girl who had got a pony. Jumping up and down like a crack head who found a fix. Dancing a little jig that Edward would give me hell for. "She loves me, she loves me, she looooves me!" I sing-songed.

"Bella," Rose laughed, "what the hell happened? I thought you were just handing in your article."

"I was." I grinned.

"So why the crazy chicken dance?" Angela laughed.

"Oh, that wasn't a chicken dance," I beamed, "that was a Jane's-putting-me-up-for-a-promotion dance!"

"WHAT?" The girls shrieked, before pulling me into a three-man hug, bouncing us around in a circle, all but screaming.

"That's amazing!" Rose cried, pulling away.

"What's the job?" Angela asked.

"Her assistant."

"What about Tiffany?" Rose wondered, with a frown.

"Didn't you hear?" gasped Angela, sitting herself up onto the counter beside the sinks. "She was fired."

"For what?"

"Who cares?" I laughed, "I'm up for her job so good riddance, I say." I typed a quick text to Edward.

_Have news. U better be out of my bed if u wanna hear it_

"We have to celebrate tonight!" Rose insisted.

I shook my head, "No can do, family thing."

The girls frowned at me.

"Sorry," I offered with a shrug.

"Well," Rose hooked her arm around mine before unlocking the door, Angela followed. "We have to go out for dinner, soon, tomorrow, maybe."

"We shouldn't celebrate." I said.

"And why the hell not?"

"Because I haven't got it yet, I'm just being put up for promotion, it doesn't mean I have the job."

My phone chimed and I looked down to see that Edward had sent me a picture along with his message. He was making food.

_Not in ur bed, in ur kitchen :)_

"Bella, please. This gives us an excuse to go out." Angela pleaded as we headed for our cubicles, all right next to each other.

"You want to go out on a Sunday night?" I arched an eyebrow.

"Okay, maybe not tomorrow but sometime soon. Next weekend?"

"I don't wanna jinx it." I told them, sitting down at my desk and answering Edward.

_U hog my bed then raid my cupboards, I am so not telling u my news! _

"Fine," Rose huffed, leaning against my desk and crossing her arms. "Deny us the chance to get drunk."

I rolled my eyes, "Please, you don't need me to get drunk."

"Who's getting drunk?" Jessica popped her head around my cubicle, looking at us curiously.

"No one, apparently." Rose grumbled.

"Oh. Well, speaking of drunk, I am drunk, in love!" Jess squealed.

Angela rolled her eyes at me behind Jessica's back and I looked down to hide my smirk.

"Who is it this time?" Rose asked, more out of force of habit than actual interest.

Jess looked straight at me.

"Oh, come on." I laughed, "you and Edward went on one date. A year ago!"

"I don't care," she said simply. "You can't chose who you fall in love with, Bella."

"You don't love him, you love his hair." Rosalie scoffed.

Jess ignored her. "Do you know why he isn't returning my calls?"

I didn't have the heart to tell her the truth…at least not all of it. "He just isn't interested in dating anyone at the moment."

Edward wasn't returning her calls because Edward was, ninety percent of the time, a very good judge of character. He hadn't asked her out again after that one time because she was, and I quote, "a self-centred, two-faced cow who was more interested in being seen with a man than in the man himself". Oh, and that she was a wannabe blonde but most definitely bimbo. "She's halfway there," He'd said.

"Please," Jessica said, "a man like that is always interested in _dating_." She waggled her pencilled eyebrows, and I didn't like what she was insinuating.

Despite the whole friends with benefits thing we had going on, Edward wasn't some man whore. He was actually a real gentleman when it came to women. And I didn't appreciate her dragging my best friends' name through the mud after one measly date because he had no desire to go out with her again.

"Yeah," I said sweetly, "just apparently not interested in dating you."

Angela tried to hide her smile while Rose outright laughed.

I looked at my phone when it pinged, ignoring Jessica as she glared at me before stomping off in a strop.

_U love it when I hog ur bed because when im in ur bed it means u have been satisfied ;) and u kno u will tell me _

And he was right. On both accounts.

I was about to reply when he sent another text.

_U bringing Rose tonight? Em wont shut up_

I grinned, "What are you doing tonight, Rosalie?"

She popped her head over the partition between our cubicles, the girls had gone back to work. "Nothing, seeing as you won't come drinking with me."

"Wanna come to Alice's barbeque?" I asked, knowing I would be answered with one question and one question only.

"Will her sexy ass cousin be there?"

"Yep."

"Then do you even have to ask?"

I laughed, "Apparently not."

**EPOV  
**Why I ever agreed to go on a date with that Jasmine, or Julie, or whatever her name was, was beyond me. Bella had warned me she was a bit keen and I, like an idiot, had told her I could handle it.

I had taken her to a restaurant in the city and the entire time she eyed up other girls with this little smirk while keeping her hand wrapped around my arm. She was showing me off and it pissed me off, because she didn't even know me. She then proceeded to bitch about all the people she worked with, including Bella, and that made me angry.

Sure, Bella had told me Julie was a little eager and implied she was the sort of woman who ate guys like me for breakfast, but Bella had said nothing horrible about the girl. As far as I was aware Bella thought of her as a friend and respected her as a colleague. And yet there she was, sitting across the table from me, giving me what she thought to be seductive looks, sucking on her spoon, while chatting shit about my best friend.

I didn't stand for that. I put the girl straight, paid for dinner, took her home and politely walked her to her door with a friendly, "It was nice to meet you," and then went to visit Bella to tell her how awful the date was before moving on with my life.

Jessica, however, hadn't moved on, and now a year later she was still calling me.

I really needed to change my number or at least get her number blocked. The woman was clogging up my voicemail.

I stretched languidly with a groan before deciding I should get up, if I didn't now Bella would come home and find me still here.

I pulled on some sweats I had left here the other day and then headed to the kitchen, searching for some food. I decided on a toastie when Bella sent me a text.

I grinned, taking a picture of my spectacular cooking skills, proof that I was no longer lazing in her bed.

I answered it when it rang, my cousin's name flashing on the screen.

"Hey, Emmett."

"What's up? Hey, listen, you're coming to Alice's tonight, right?" He asked.

"Yep." I confirmed.

"Is Bella?"

"Yep."

"Is Bella's hot friend?"

I snorted, "Bella's hot friend has a name."

"Man, don't call her hot, you got your own ass don't be hittin' on mine."

I laughed, "I don't know if she's coming."

"Why the hell not?"

I rolled my eyes, "Why should I know?"

"Because she's Bella's friend." He said as though it what he was trying to imply was obvious.

"And?"

"And you're Bella's best friend, _and_ you're banging her."

I sighed, sitting down on the couch, taking a bite of the toastie. "I don't know if Rosalie is coming, Em."

"She will be when I'm done with her." I could almost hear him waggling his eyebrows. "Come on, man, is she coming or not?"

"For the love of…Emmett, I don't know!"

"Well find out!"

"Ask her yourself, you have her number."

"And look like a little pussy? Dude, you're supposed to be my wing man. Help a brother out, will you?"

"Fine," I muttered, pulling the phone away from my ear, making sure it was on loud speaker.

"What the hell you doin' to your phone?" Emmett asked, clearly hearing my thumb tapping against the screen.

"Texting Bella."

"Are you asking her if Rosalie is coming?"

"No."

"Why not? What are you doing?"

"I'm responding to her text, we were having a conversation before you butted in."

"Man, just ask her!" He whined.

I rolled my eyes, "You're a pussy for not asking Rose yourself. This is so lame, I feel like I'm in middle school."

"I'm the pussy? At least I haven't been pining over her for years like you have! When are you gonna ask Bella out?"

I groaned, "I'm not!" I hated having this conversation with people. Why couldn't anybody understand that Bella and I didn't like each other that way? She was my best friend. I loved her more than anything but I wasn't _in love_ with her.

"You're a fucking liar. Nobody does the whole friends with benefits thing without suffering the consequences."

I smirked, "You're just jealous because it works for me and not for you."

Emmett laughed and muttered something under his breath. "You're an idiot, dude."

"See, pure jealousy."

"If you don't like Bella that way then why don't you date?"

"I do."

"Not, in like, nine months."

"Just because I don't go actively looking for girls doesn't mean I'm unwilling to date."

"Really?"

"Yeah."

"Then why wouldn't you go out with that girl you met at the bar the other night."

I sighed, "I like what I have going on with Bella. I'm not looking to get into a relationship right now." Bella and I had an agreement, if either of us wanted to start dating then we'd stop the whole sex thing. And sex with Bella was awesome. It wasn't something I wanted to end right now just so I could call some woman my girlfriend.

Emmett chuckled again, "You don't even hear yourself."

"Whatever, man. Do you wanna know if Rose is gonna be there, or not?"

"Why? Did you text, Bella? Do you know? What did she say? Is she coming?"

"You sound like a thirteen year old girl."

"Shut the fuck up."

"Rosalie will be there."

"Yes!" He shouted in my ear.

I rolled my eyes. "What time you gonna be at Alice's?"

"Leaving in about an hour, why, want a ride?"

"Nah, I'm at Bella's, still gotta go home and get ready and shit."

Emmett laughed again, I didn't know why but I was sure I didn't want to know the reason. "I'm gonna go," he said, "you're boring me with your pussying around."

"Whatever, dude."

"Later."

I sighed, glaring at the blank T.V. Emmett had no idea what he was talking about. Bella had been my best friend since forever, there was no way I felt anything like that towards her.

Bella had always been around. Okay, that was a lie but it felt like I had known her my entire life, when really we had met just over four years ago.

My adoptive sister, Alice, two years my elder, had started dating this guy her last year of college. Jasper was pretty cool, I hung out with them a lot and heard a lot about his little sister, Bella, though I had never met her. Alice insisted she was great, my age, said we had a lot in common. I think she was trying to set us up from the very beginning, before we had even met.

Alice and Jasper had been dating a while, things were looking pretty serious, when they found out Alice was pregnant. My sister, the girl who planned every tiny little detail in advance, who was always safe and careful, who had always told me to "wrap it before I tapped it", had gotten knocked up.

And so began Alice's family barbeque tradition. She had wanted myself and my adoptive parents to meet Jasper's only living family.

Alice explained Jasper and Bella were half siblings, shared the same dad but different moms. Jasper's mom had succumbed to cancer before he was even three years old. Charlie Swan had remarried and Bella came along. Alice said Jasper and his sister were close but had been even closer ever since the death of Charlie and Renee a little over a year ago.

When I had met Bella that evening at Alice's first barbeque, to celebrate her pregnancy, she had been polite and friendly and really shy. A stark contrast to the Bella I knew now.

"_Bella, right?" I asked, sitting next to the brunette as she gazed at Jasper and Alice, sitting by my parents' pool. _

_Bella nodded with a smile._

"_Heard a lot about you." I told her._

_She blushed, "All good, I hope?"_

_I chuckled, "Of course. Alice loves you."_

_Bella looked surprised, "Really?"_

"_Are you kidding?" I laughed, "You're all she talks about, besides shopping and Jasper."_

_Bella laughed too, it was a pretty sound. "Oh, yeah, I've heard a lot about shopping."_

"_It's going to be even worse now that she's pregnant."_

"_She's convinced me I desperately need to help her shop for the baby. I don't know why, I'm pretty sure Alice is certain about what she wants."_

_It was because Alice didn't want her to feel left out. _

"_You have a beautiful family." She murmured, softly. And I looked up to see her watching everyone, her eyes moving from my dad, Carlisle, my Uncle Garrett and his son Emmett, all stood by the barbeque, to my mom Esme and Aunt Kate, watching Alice and Jasper and gossiping with big grins. _

"_It's your family, too." I told her. _

_Bella glanced at me and I could see her big brown eyes, glistening slightly. "I'm really grateful." She said. "When Jasper told me Alice was pregnant…I was happy for them, I really was. But I was terrified, too." I watched her carefully as her eyes glanced back towards her brother, who had his arm wrapped around Alice and was gazing at her while she chatted to him. "He's all I have left, you know. I wanted him to have this, I wanted him to be happy and I would never begrudge him the family he's found in all of you." She shook her head adamantly and I was positive she was the most selfless person I had ever met. "But I thought I was going to lose him. I thought he was going to leave me behind, what with the baby and Alice to focus on. But Alice made sure I wasn't." She gave a little chuckle though it sounded a little strained as though she was fighting a lump in her throat. "She wasn't having any of it. I hadn't even said anything to her but she's still made sure I've been there, asking me what I think of names, if I'd like a niece or nephew, introduced me to your family. I'm so grateful. To her, to all of you."_

_We were quiet for a moment and she seemed to realise what she'd just said, like she couldn't believe she'd let that all come out of her mouth. I could see she was looking a little uncomfortable so I spoke up before she could unnecessarily apologise. _

"_Did you know I'm adopted?" I asked her. _

_Her eyes widened with surprise as she shook her head. "I had no idea. Alice never mentioned…" she trailed off and I smiled. _

"_Yeah, Alice never would. She's always known me as Edward her little brother, nothing less nothing more. It never phased her that I was adopted."_

"_Did…did you always know?" She asked, her eyes brimming with curiosity. "When were you told?" She caught herself, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to pry-"_

_I shook my head, "It's okay. I wouldn't have brought it up if I were uncomfortable talking about it." I assured her. "I've always known, from a young age, that I was adopted. I knew Alice was grown in momma's tummy but because momma's tummy wasn't able to grow another baby I was specially picked." I chuckled and Bella smiled. "I remember thinking I was picked like a toy would have been picked, off the shelf and paid for."_

_Bella giggled and it made me smile._

"_I never felt out of place. But, there was one time when I was ten. I don't remember the details of it but Alice was hurt and the doctor's asked Carlisle if I'd give blood because usually siblings are a good match. Carlisle explained I was adopted. I didn't understand that I couldn't help her because we had different blood types not really because we weren't related. For a while afterwards I was angry, and I didn't even know why, I just felt like I didn't belong. I was upset I couldn't help my sister and felt like I was intruding, that I wasn't supposed to be with these people." I hadn't told anyone this and yet here I was talking to this girl, practically a stranger, and I felt like I'd known her my whole life. "For weeks Carlisle and Esme couldn't figure out what was wrong. I wouldn't talk to them about it, afraid they were disappointed I couldn't help Alice. I stayed in my room whenever I was home and only really spent time with any of them during meals. And then Alice walked into my bedroom one night and found me packing a bag." I snorted, "A bag full of Goosebump books, Cheetos and all of my savings, a whole thirty-two dollars and fifteen cents."_

_Bella grinned. _

"_I told her she didn't need me to stay and that I was running away. She got mad," I laughed, "Real mad. She told me that real brothers weren't there for blood, she said blood didn't matter. She said what made a brother was whether they were there when you needed them, and apparently because I was running away I couldn't be her real brother. Then she stomped out of my room and didn't come out the rest of the night."_

"_And so you stayed." Bella murmured. _

"_And so I stayed." I nodded. "Alice has a way of making you feel part of the family, whether you're related by blood or not. And just a warning, once she deems you one of the family, you're in it for the rest of your life, there's no going back."_

_Bella smiled, "Good to know."_

_We sat in comfortable silence for a while before she said with a grin, "The Goosebump books were awesome."_

"_I know!" I exclaimed. _

"_I can totally understand why you thought you could live off of just them and Cheetos."_

"_Don't forget the thirty-two dollars."_

"_And fifteen cents."_

_This girl was pretty cool. _

"_If I ever write something half as good as those books I'd die ridiculously happy."_

"_You wanna be a writer?" I asked. She nodded. "Is that what you're doing at college?"_

"_Yep. How about you? Alice said something about music."_

"_I want to teach music."_

"_What do you play?" Bella wondered. _

"_Guitar and piano."_

"_I always wanted to play the piano, I just didn't have the patience for it. I wanted to be Yiruma right away, you know? It was a lot harder than what I thought it was going to be."_

_My eyebrows rose, "You know Yiruma?" _

_She nodded, "Mmhmm. Helps me write."_

"_What's your favourite?"_

"_Hmm…" She thought about it, "Probably 'If I Could See You Again'."_

_I nodded, "That's a good one."_

"_Can you play it?"_

_I nodded again._

"_Oh my god, that's amazing!"_

_I laughed._

"_What can you play on the guitar?"_

_I shrugged, "Anything, really. For the guitar I can mostly play by ear."_

_Her eyebrows rose. "Wow. Can you sing?"_

"_A little."_

"_Are you being modest?"_

_I laughed, "I don't do modest."_

"_Oh really?" From her arched eyebrow I'd say she wasn't impressed. _

"_Really. If I'm amazing, I'll let you know."_

"_So what you're trying to say is, you suck at singing."_

"_Well…I didn't say that."_

"_No, no, it's alright. We can't all be good at everything."_

"_I can." I smirked._

"_You're a cocky bastard." She shook her head with a disbelieving grin._

"_Only because I have a right to be."_

_She laughed. "You're something else."_

"_Thank you, kindly."_

"_That wasn't necessarily a compliment." She pointed out._

"_I'll take it as one."_

Yeah. It was the start of a beautiful friendship.

* * *

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